


Man's Best Friend

by Chubby384Dumpling



Category: Disney - Fandom, Lady and the Tramp (1955), Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Chekhov is a bloodhound, Death of a pet, Disney AU, Fluff, Jim and Bones get a puppy, Lady and The Tramp AU, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Puppies, Scotty is a Scottish Terrier, Slash, married!McKirk, retired!McKirk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-14
Updated: 2014-08-14
Packaged: 2018-02-13 03:28:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2135346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chubby384Dumpling/pseuds/Chubby384Dumpling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Lady and the Tramp AU in which Bones gets Jim a puppy for Christmas. Since Joanna had moved out, the house had been too quiet so this is the story whereby Jim and Bones add some four-legged friends to their family unit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Man's Best Friend

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for this story came when I was watching Lady and the Tramp for the hundredth time. I realised that the two humans in the film are called Jim and Darling and I immediately thought of Jim Kirk (because Jim) and Bones (because he always uses the word Darlin') so I just had to write this AU. Plus, I am convinced that McKirk are dog people who would treat their dogs as their own children! 
> 
> P.S. the events of this story do not stick to the plot of Lady and The Tramp. For one, there is no baby. Secondly, the dogs in this story eventually pass away. The first scene is the only part which mimics the film.
> 
> P.P.S I made Scotty into the character of Jock (the Scottish Terrier) because I thought it made sense haha. And Chekhov is Trusty the Bloodhound because I can picture Chekhov saying, "Did I ever tell you about my grandfather, Dimitri Chekov, Federation ambassador to Russia?" just as Trusty always said, "As my grand pappy, Old Reliable, used to say...Don't recollect if I've ever mentioned Old Reliable before." 
> 
> Enjoy!

It was Jim and Bone’s first Christmas as a retired couple and the house was silent and peaceful. Outside the snow was falling heavily while inside on the couch, Jim lay with his head on his husband’s lap, smiling contentedly up at him. Nights like this when they just cuddled by the fireside were frequent in the McCoy-Kirk household and at Christmas time these intimate moments were especially precious. 

 

As a child, Christmas for Jim was just another average day. Wake up and try to stay out of his stepfather's way. Do the chores, try to stay out of his stepfather's way. Get ready for bed and try to avoid his step-fathers fists. Thus Jim enjoyed making the most of Christmas time when he had his own family. Every year on the first of December Bones would go into the local forest and choose a tree for that years’ festivities. Jim, Joanna and Bones would then decorate the tree with sparkly baubles and multi-coloured tinsel while singing along to ‘Jingle bells’ or other such seasonal songs. Later they would make gingerbread men and have snowball fights. To Jim, these family-centred Christmases were a reminder that he had a family of his own now to love and that he was loved by them in return. 

 

For Bones, Christmas had lost it’s appeal after his messy divorce from Jocelyn. They had divorced when Joanna was barely a year old. Jocelyn and her new boy toy, Clay, had applied for full custody so that for the next five years of Joanna’s life the most she saw of her father was video calls from space. McCoy usually spent Christmas day longing to see his little girl’s face as she opened her presents from Santa. However, once he had fallen in love with his Jim, Christmas began to feel magical again. And when Jocelyn had decided to move away from Georgia with Clay and had suggested Joanna live with him permanently, he was over the moon! Within weeks of the end of their mission, Bones and Jim had bought a small suburban house just a few streets away from his mother's and Joanna had moved in right away. Jim had taken to parenthood like a duck to water and soon Joanna was calling him 'Papa Jim'. 

 

But years had passed and their little girl had left the nest leaving the two men to each others company. For the first few years since Joanna had left, Jim and Bones had been content with their life. Jim worked at the academy as a Professor to command track students while Bones took up a post as a surgeon in a local hospital. 

 

Now that they were both retired, however, they had nothing to do and nowhere to go. Jim especially was at a loose end. He wasn't used to hanging around the house with nothing to stimulate his mind. 

 

Bones knew that Jim had always wanted a big family with five or more children but that dream had came to an end when he fell in love and married Bones. Despite advances in science, the one thing that science could not do was instigate pregnancy in a man. Jim had loved every moment of raising Joanna but when Joanna had grown up and moved out it had broken his heart a little. So Bones had thought of the perfect way to cheer Jim up and at the moment it sat in a purple striped box under the tree adorned with a huge white bow.

 

"Jim Darlin', do you want to open your present now?" Bones whispered, stroking Jim's golden hair lightly.

 

Jim sat bolt upright, his face shining with unashamed excitement. "But Bones! We said we weren't buying each other gifts this year!"

 

Bones smiled lovingly at his husband. He loved how child-like Jim got around gifts even after all these years together.

 

 "I know darlin' but this is for the both of us." Bones said, caressing Jim's happy little face with his rough fingertips. The sight of Jim's oh so blue eyes as they gazed up at him with undying devotion never failed to make his heart swell with love and affection for his lover.

 

"Oooo Bones, you dirty old man. It’s one of those presents, is it? What is it this time, bondage, spanking, fisting?” Jim teased, a lecherous grin spreading across his face. “...Oh my god, Bones, did you get me that sex swing that I have always wanted?” He shrieked, face lighting up with anticipation. 

 

“Goddammit Jim, can’t you keep your mind out of the gutter for one minute?” Bones said, cuffing Jim upside the head with an affectionate chuckle. "Now do you want your present or not?" He asked. Jim nodded vigorously and held his hands out like a child begging for a treat.

 

Leonard carefully lifted the purple striped box from its place under the tree, careful not to jostle it and placed it on Jim’s lap. “It's for you, darlin’. Merry Christmas.” he said, his voice soft and full of love. 

 

“Oh, Bones! It's the one I was admiring, isn't it? Trimmed with command gold?” Jim said, his blue eyes as bright as a cloudless sky. 

 

“Uh...well it’s gold alright.” Bones replied, nervously twiddling his thumbs, worried that Jim may not like the gift. 

 

Jim opened the box and out popped a golden cocker spaniel puppy complete with a red bow. Jim gasped with delight and lifted the puppy to his face, letting it enthusiastically lick his nose. The puppy nuzzled its way into Jim’s shirt and continued to lick her new owner, her little tail wagging happily. Jim giggled at the ticklish feeling and Bones heart swelled at the sight of Jim’s ecstatic smile. 

 

“You like her, darlin?” Leonard asked, his hand reaching out to pet the little pup’s head while his other hand ruffled Jim’s hair. 

 

“Oh I love her! What a perfect, beautiful little Lady!” Jim said, cradling the puppy to his chest as he gazed up at Bones through his eyelashes. “Thank you so much, Bones.” He shifted closer until he could feel Leonard’s breath upon his face and planted a wet kiss onto his husband’s lips. They both started to laugh when their little “Lady” proceeded to push her way between them and began jumping on both of them, trying to get a kiss for herself. The two men gazed at her adoringly before each planted a kiss to Lady’s head.

 

***

 

Jim had owned a dog only once before, when he was a child. Charlie had been his best friend, a golden Labrador that followed him everywhere. Once his mum bought Frank, his step-father home to stay however, Jim had come home from school one day to find Charlie gone. His new stepfather had sold him for a few bucks at the local bar. Jim had cried for weeks and to this day had never gotten over it. He shouldn't have been surprised. After all Frank was incapable of showing affection to his own step-sons so why should a dog have been any different? 

 

So understandably Jim felt bad about making Lady sleep downstairs on her own on her first night in her new home.

 

“But Bones, she might get scared down here by her lonesome! Can’t she sleep with us just for tonight?” Jim begged, his eyes mimicking Lady’s own pleading look. 

 

“Jim darlin’, you know that we have to start as we mean to go on.” Bones reasoned, “ If we let her sleep with us tonight she will never sleep downstairs.” He gently lifted Lady and placed her in her basket, covering her with a cosy blanket. “Now girly, you should be as snug as a bug in a rug!” He gave Lady a last little pat on the head before taking Jim’s hand in his own and leading him to bed as Jim glanced over his shoulder nervously. 

 

Once the two men had lay down in their double bed a series of yelps and howls erupted from downstairs. “Aww Bones, she’s scared.” Jim whispered, stroking his husband’s chest in an attempt to soften him up, “Can’t she sleep at the bottom of the bed just for tonight?” 

 

Bones resisted the allure of Jim’s wide blue eyes and shook his head, “Dammit Jim this is our bedroom, not an animal sanctuary. We have to set some boundaries.” Jim sighed and tried to get to sleep, closing his eyes tightly and trying to ignore the desperate cries of the puppy downstairs. 

 

All of a sudden the cries seemed to get closer. Jim sat up and glanced at the floor, chuckling when he saw Lady sitting beside the bed, her little paws scraping at the blanket. Bones rolled over and groaned at the two pair of eyes gazing at him. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed loudly.

 

“Fine. Just for tonight mind.” He said, reaching down to lift Lady onto the bed. The pup wagged her tail happily and settled down in between the two men. Jim smiled fondly at her, petting her head before curling up next to Leonard and whispering into his chest, “Thanks Bones. You’re the best!” 

 

***

 

Almost a year passed and Lady had yet to surrender her spot in the bedroom. Every night she would follow Jim and Bones as they ascended to bed and if it was a night when her owners got intimate then she would patiently wait for them to finish their business before taking her preferred spot on the bed. 

 

Their days were spent in perfect harmony. Morning walks along the beach, afternoons playing in the garden and evenings relaxing before the fire. Life for Jim and Leonard was once more filled with fun and excitement and if they treated Lady like a child, well no one said anything. 

 

One particular afternoon found the three of them in the garden. Bones was at the bottom of the garden, planting some peonies and primroses. He claimed that he was only doing it to prevent the neighbours from complaining about their messy garden but in reality he was doing it for Jim. He knew how much Jim loved nature and when they were on the Enterprise all Jim ever talked about was missing the smell of fresh air and flowers. So Bones wanted to create a beautiful garden for him where they could spend summer days, tangled together in the hammock that Bones had strung up between two trees. 

 

Jim meanwhile was sitting on the garden steps, throwing a bone for Lady to fetch. He would throw it into the bushes near to where Bones was and watch as she sprinted after it, her tongue lolling from her mouth in excitement. 

 

“Go on girl! Go get your bone.” Jim shouted, pointing in the direction he had thrown it. A moment later Lady came back dragging a disgruntled looking Bones by the sleeve of his sweater. 

 

Jim doubled over with laughter, tears streaming down his face as he slapped a hand against his knee. “Bones...she must have...she must know that I call you Bones...so she fetched you instead.” He gasped, struggling to speak due to his uncontrollable laughter. Bones joined in with his laughter and they ended up falling on to the grass together, laughing as Lady jumped on top of them, licking them all over. “Good girl!” They said, scratching behind Lady’s ear as they lay back on the soft grass and simply enjoyed being with each other.

 

***

Bones was away for two days to visit Christine and Roger in San Francisco. Jim had wanted to go but truth be told Christine was more Bone's friend than his and plus, someone needed to stay with Lady. 

 

Two days. Just _two days_ Bones had been away but when he came home he was met with an agitated Jim who yelled for him as soon as he was out of the cab.

 

"Dammit Jim, I'm just through the door. What's wrong?" He snapped, putting down his suitcase and entering the living room. 

 

Jim was sitting on the sofa with an arm curled protectively around Lady who was unusually sedate. Upon seeing Bones she wagged her tail half-heartedly but made no effort to get up. Worried by her lethargic greeting Bones hurried over to her and Jim and gently stroked her head. 

 

"What is it Jim darlin?" Bones queried, his hazel eyes filled with concern. "Is she hurt? Sick?" 

 

Jim shook his head angrily and ran his hand through his messy blonde hair. "No Bones its not that." He sighed. "I think one of the neighbours dogs have been sniffing around Lady." 

 

Bones raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Scotty?" He asked, a little surprised that Lady had been messing about with the neighbours Scottish Terrier which was usually so friendly with Lady, you know, without being _too_ friendly. 

 

Jim shrugged, his fingers absent-mindedly petting Lady's belly. "It could be Scotty." He replied. "Or it could be Chekhov I guess." Bones secretly hoped that it was Scotty that was the culprit, Chekhov the bloodhound was a bit clumsy and his curious nose was always getting him into trouble, not the ideal candidate for their Lady's mate.

 

"Well, we will just have to ask the neighbours to keep an eye on their dogs then." Bones said, a little baffled as to why Jim was so upset. "And maybe book Lady in to get spayed." He added as an afterthought. They had meant to get her spayed after her first heat cycle but Jim kept putting it off, believing it to be inhumane.

 

Jim groaned with exasperation. "Bones, don't you get it!?" He yelled, "It's too late to get her spayed now because she is already pregnant!" By this point Jim was looking deranged and was getting increasingly annoyed by the huge grin that adorned his husbands face. 

 

"Jim you mean, there're gonna be puppies? Little Ladies runnin' around?" Bones asked excitedly, rubbing Lady's slightly rotund belly.

 

"Bonessssss." Jim whined, "Isn't she too young to be having a litter? She's barely out of puppyhood. What happens if there are complications and something goes wrong?" 

 

Now Leonard understood why Jim wasn't as excited as he was. Jim was a worrier - always had been and always would be. When they were still on board the Enterprise Jim was constantly fretting over his crew's physical and mental health - meeting with his CMO almost weekly to make sure his crew weren't under undue stress. Even when Joanna had announced that she was moving into her own apartment closer to college Jim had worried - concerned that she would forget to eat regularly or that she would stay out all night at parties. Time and time again Leonard had had to reassure Jim that everything was going to be fine and that if anything ever did go wrong that they would work through it together. 

 

"Jimmy," Bones soothed, "Lady is almost three years old now. In dog years that makes her almost 21. Our Lady is all grown up now and is more than ready to be a mommy." His hand rubbed soothing little circles into Jim’s back to try and calm him but Jim just kept babbling.

 

"I took her to the vet yesterday and he said that she was eight weeks pregnant." He said, "That means we only have a week to go before she gives birth. We haven't even been monitoring her diet to make sure she gets the right nutrition." His lip was puffy and red from where he had been chewing it, a nervous habit of his that he had gained at the academy. 

 

Bones brought his fingers to Jim’s abused lip and gently caressed it, soothing the bite marks that decorated his lower lip. 

 

"Don't worry darlin. We'll get her the very best vet to deliver her puppies safely." He promised, pressing a soft kiss to his husband’s temple. 

 

Jim snuggled into Bones' chest, his arms snaking around his waist and resting on his lower back. 

 

"Welcome home." Jim mumbled against Leonard’s shirt. "I missed you." 

 

Leonard chuckled and stroked Jim’s hair, "I missed you too darlin." 

 

Jim pulled back a little and stared up at Bone’s, his blue eyes shining with joy, "Puppies, Bones. Puppies!" And he grinned, revealing all of his blindingly white teeth. Leonard smiled back and allowed himself to be tugged around the living room as Jim continued to chant 'puppies, puppies, puppies.' 

 

***

 

The next day Bones was cooking up some lunch for himself and Jim when he just so happened to glance out the window. He let out a huff of laughter at the sight of Lady in her doghouse, curled up beside a grey scruffy dog that he had never seen before.

 

"Jim!" He hollered, "I think you're gonna wanna see this." 

 

Jim came running downstairs at breakneck speed, thinking that Bones was hurt or that Lady had gone into labour. What he did not expect to see was their beautiful little Lady all loved up with a dirty stray. A tramp. 

 

"I guess we now know who knocked up our little girl and it sure weren't Scotty or Chekhov." Bones said, laughing at Jim’s stricken expression. 

 

"Jim don't be a snob. If Lady’s happy then we should be happy." Leonard reasoned, "When we first met on that shuttle all those years ago I was a tramp but you still befriended me and look at us now."

 

Jim grinned despite himself. "That is true, old man." 

 

Bones scowled at his husband and squawked indignantly, "You were supposed to disagree with me, you infant! You were supposed to say that you fell in love with me at first sight because of my rugged good looks." 

 

Jim guffawed and received a playful shove from Bones in return.

 

"Hey Bones, I don't see a tag on Lady’s boyfriend. Could we keep him?" Jim pleaded causing Leonard to roll his eyes with fond exasperation. 

 

"Sure kid, why not?" He answered, draping himself across Jim's back and resting his chin on the blonde's shoulder as they both gazed at the two smitten dogs in the garden. Their family just kept on getting bigger and bigger.

 

***

Nine days later four puppies joined their family. Three little girls and one handsome boy. They had named the females Annette, Danielle, and Collette. The male they called Scamp. 

 

However having a house full of dogs wasn't all fun and games and after a few months of toilet training and chaotic walks Jim and Bones decided they needed to find the puppies new homes. Having two dogs was quite enough for a retired old couple. The puppies just had too much energy for the two men who had been looking forward to a peaceful retirement. 

 

Thankfully they were able to find homes for the puppies with close friends and family so that their parents could visit them as often as they wished. Annette and Danielle were now living with Spock and Uhura - Leonard had been baffled at how well Spock had bonded with the girls, the hobgoblin had actually giggled, yes, _giggled_ , when Danielle had nibbled on one of his pointed ears. Collette had found a home next door with Chekhov's family. Joanna and her boyfriend had laid claim on Scamp as soon as they had set eyes on him and brought him over as often as possible to see his parents.

 

So Leonard and Jim relaxed into their new routine with Lady and her boyfriend whom Jim had 'creatively' named 'Tramp' just as he had bestowed a new name on Leonard when they had first met. 

 

However, years passed as they tend to do when one is having fun, and Tramp had succumbed to life's eternal sleep after his frail body became riddled with tumours. Jim and Bones had cried for days but were at least comforted by Lady’s presence in their lives.  

 

It had been nearly nine years since Lady had joined their family when Jim came home from the shops one day to find Bones slumped on the garden steps with his head buried in his hands.

 

Jim dropped his bags of shopping and ran forward, kneeling down beside his husband and placing a warm hand on Leonard’s shaking arm. 

 

"Bones, what is it?" Jim asked gently, willing his heart to calm down and his thoughts to stop running away with him. Maybe Bones was just a bit tired? Or had argued with Joanna?

 

But when Bones lifted his head from his hands and looked at Jim, he _knew_ , he just knew what was coming.

 

“She’s dead Jim. Our little Lady is gone.” Leonard’s voice broke with emotion as he said her name. Tears travelled down his weather-beaten face and fell with a silent splash on the ground beneath him. 

 

A distressed sob escaped from Jim’s mouth and he found himself being pulled into Leonard’s arms, the tan arms that he knew as intimately as his own encasing his body and rocking him back and forth. 

 

A few moments passed before Jim pulled away and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand to dispel the last few tear-drops that insistently clung to his face.

 

"Can we go in and see her?" He whispered.

 

Bones reached out and took his hand, lacing their fingers together. "Of course, sweetheart. Let's go and say goodbye to our little Lady."

 

The men walked through the front door, their hands joined between them and their hearts united in grief. 

 

On the living room couch Lady lay, still and peaceful, her paws still warm to the touch. Bones had placed her favourite pink pillow under her head so that it almost looked as though she was taking her usual afternoon nap. 

 

Jim sat down on the couch and lifted her onto his lap, cradling her in his arms as he had done when she was a puppy. Leonard seated himself beside his husband, placing his arm across Jim's shoulders and stroking Lady's motionless form with his other hand. 

 

"Bones, thank you for bringing her into our lives." Jim said. His eyes were even bluer than usual due to the unshed tears that lingered behind his eyelids. Bones responded with a shaky smile and leant forward to kiss Jim softly on the lips. Jim’s head lolled onto Leonard’s shoulder and he continued, "She really enriched our lives. She completed our family after Jo grew up and left for college. The house is gonna be so quiet without her now." 

 

He closed his eyes and let the tears fall again as he simultaneously held Lady and was held by Bones. One last moment spent cuddled together in front of the fire just like they did every night. 

 

Later that night Jim and Bones carried Lady gently into the back garden and laid her to rest with Tramp under their favourite cherry blossom tree. And there they stood, supporting one another until the sun went down.

 

***

 

**Epilogue** \- 2 years later

 

Bones was relaxing in the mid-afternoon sun with his padd in his lap, smiling at the pictures Joanna had sent to him of her baby bump when he heard Jim calling him from the front of the house. 

 

"I'm out here Jim!" Bones hollered, far too relaxed to even attempt getting up. 

 

The back door opened and shut and Jim crept up behind him, covering Leonard’s eyes with his hands.

 

"I have a surprise for youuu." Jim sang, effortlessly dodging Leonard’s attempt to bat his hands away. 

 

"It better not be sex in the hammock again," Leonard huffed, "I still blush every time I see old Mrs Norris. The old witch insists on smacking my ass every time I say hello."

 

Jim howled with laughter at the memory. "No its not sex in the hammock again although that can still be arranged." Jim said flirtatiously. "But could you keep your eyes shut for one moment until I get your surprise?" 

 

Bones reluctantly complied and felt Jim move away. He could hear Jim whispering and was desperate to take a peek at what his husband was up to but he kept his promise until Jim returned and said softly, "You can look now Bones." 

 

Leonard opened his eyes and gasped. Sitting at was feet was a beautiful golden retriever, tongue lolling out of its mouth and its tail swishing back and forth in greeting. 

 

The dog jumped at Leonard and licked him to within an inch of his life until Jim ordered her to sit. 

 

"She's perfect." Bones breathed, ruffling the dog's thick fur. "But Jim, where did you-"

 

"At the shelter." Jim interrupted, his golden hair tinged with grey reflecting the sun's rays. "She's an old girl but when I seen her and learnt her name I knew we had to have her."

 

"What is her name?" Bones questioned, laughing as the dog rolled over and presented her belly to be scratched.

 

"Darling." Jim replied, a wide grin on his face. 

 

Bones laughed and returned the smile fondly. "She's perfect. A beautiful little darlin'." 

 

"Hey now, are you talking to her or me?" Jim demanded, twisting his face into a mock scowl which was quickly wiped from his face when Bones swooped in for a passionate kiss.

 

"Both of you. My two darlins'." Bones whispered into Jim’s ear making him shiver at the heavy Southern drawl.

 

"I love you Bones." Jim stated, interlinking their hands as they stroked the dog between them. 

 

"I love you too Darlin'. Always and forever." 

 

_And they lived happily ever after until the end of their days._


End file.
